Monday, October 12, 2020

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren


Title: In a Holidaze
Author: Christina Lauren
Publisher: Gallery Books
Release Date: October 6, 2020




One Christmas wish, two brothers, and a lifetime of hope are on the line for hapless Maelyn Jones in In a Holidaze, the quintessential holiday romantic novel by Christina Lauren, the New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.

But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.

The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.

Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and Christina Lauren’s trademark “downright hilarious” (Helen Hoang, author of The Bride Test) hijinks, this swoon-worthy romantic read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays. 










Let's start by saying that one of my favorite movies is Groundhog day. (Bill Murray dying many times until becoming a selfless version of himself is too much fun to forget). It's a movie I can rewatch over and over and still enjoy.  I didn’t read the blurb so I didn’t know that In A Holidaze was loosely based on it.

So what happens when you have been in love with Andrew since the age of thirteen but make a mistake and kiss his brother, Theo on December 25th instead?  Naturally, you wish for a chance to find some happiness and erase the last few days, right? Wishful thinking...maybe for us plain humans but for Maelyn Jones this exactly what happens. She revisits the beginning of her Christmas holiday to find out what makes her happy. A Christmas full of family and friends. Maelyn's parents and her college friends have been meeting for Christmas since she can remember. It's a tradition that everyone makes time for.

Maelyn has been in love with Andrew since she was thirteen but she has never told him how she feels. Everyone has assumed Maelyn and Theo who are both twenty-six will be an item someday. Regardless of what they want, this time she is going to go for it. What does she have to lose since she probably will end up redoing the day anyway?

This was a fun, heartwarming story. I love the traditions they had of meeting at the cabin playing games throughout the days. It was quite endearing. Even Maelyn's parents who were now divorced, still continue with the tradition. 

I didn't like Theo on the first version and thought Andrew took things too lightly. I love Benny in all the versions and the pet names with Mae were all too cute. 

Kisses, debating about white chocolate vs real chocolate (of course dark chocolate. I'm a chocolate purist), a torn sweater, snowball fights are all reasons why I liked this book, and why Christina Lauren's duo is a success for me.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Gallery Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


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